1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a standardized support element according to the preamble of claim 1 as well as to an electronic control unit having such a support element, in particular for transmission- or engine control systems in the automotive industry.
2. Prior Art
In automotive engineering components such as transmission-, engine- or brake systems are increasingly controlled mainly electronically. Here, there is a trend towards mechatronic control systems, i.e. the integration of control electronics and the associated electronic components, such as sensors or valves, in the transmission, the engine, the brake system or the like. The control units generally comprise a large number of electronic components that are connected to other components outside of the control unit. In the case of such integrated electronics, these control systems are no longer accommodated in a separate, specially protected electronics compartment. For this reason, they have to withstand corresponding environmental influences as well as mechanical, thermal and chemical stress.
For this purpose they are normally installed in special hermetically sealed housings. The housings moreover perform an important screening function. To enable a reliable connection to components situated outside the housing, an electrical connection from the housing interior to the housing exterior and to the peripheral components is required. Systems are known, in which the central electronics in the housing are electrically contacted to an all-component support. The all-component support represents a made-to-measure connection of all of the components situated outside the control unit to the central electronics. This arrangement does however consequently have the drawback that a flexible connection of individual peripheral components to the central electronics is not possible. Furthermore, the all-component support has to be specifically redeveloped and redesigned for the respective application and the specific requirements associated therewith. This involves a considerable expenditure of time and money.
A design for achieving flexibility of the connection between peripheral components and central electronics is known from DE 10 2004 050 689 A1. This discloses an arrangement for the electrical connection of control electronics to peripheral components such as for example sensors, valves or plug-in connectors by means of a plug-in system comprising a cable channel and float-mounted mating connectors for the components at the other end of the cable.
As an example of a generic contacting of cable ends to a flexible printed-circuit board reference is made to DE 10 2004 050 687 A1. This discloses a facility for the direct contacting of a cable or a cable bundle, which is attached to a flexible printed-circuit board, and in this way peripheral components may be connected to the central control electronics.
Here too, however, there is in each case the drawback that for each control unit it is necessary to produce a layout for the housing and the geometry of the flexible printed-circuit boards that is individually adapted and tuned to the relevant components. A modification of the specifications for contacting the peripheral components or even of the size and geometry of the central electronics substrate inevitably also entails having to find and manufacture a new layout for the connection of the components, the housing and the flexible printed-circuit boards. This necessity exists independently of whether the flexible printed-circuit boards are of an integral construction or take the form of partial components.